What’s Included with Your Adoption
Every animal available for adoption through RSPCA ACT:
• Is desexed and microchipped (where appropriate)
• Has been examined by a veterinarian
• Receives behaviour and temperament observations Has received exercise, human interaction and affection
• Is given parasite prevention (flea, tick and worming treatments)
• Is cared for by our dedicated team of staff and volunteers
Finding the Right Pet for You
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Step 1: Do Your Research
- Consider your lifestyle, household, and home environment (e.g. activity level, time at home, garden size).
- Research the type, breed and needs of the type of animal you’re interested in.
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Step 2: Browse Online
- Visit our Adoption page to see animals currently available.
- Please note: animals listed online may be adopted quickly. We’re unable to place animals on hold.
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Step 3: Visit the Shelter
- No appointment needed, just come in and meet the animals during shelter opening hours (10am-3pm Mon-Sat).
- When you arrive, speak with one of our team members. They’ll inform you about the animals you’re interested in and recommend a great match for you.
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Step 4: Meet Your Match
- Spend time interacting with the animal to see if they’re the right fit.
- We recommend the whole household meets your potential new pet, especially for dog adoptions.
- If you already have a dog at home, we’ll help arrange a meet and greet with the dog you’re considering adopting. Like people, not all dogs get along!
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Step 5: Home Suitability
- If you're renting, you may be asked to provide written approval from your landlord.
- For some adoptions, especially dogs, puppies, exotics and small animals we may request photos of your yard, fencing, enclosures or aviaries to ensure a safe and secure home.
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Step 6: Final Steps
- If it’s a good match, we’ll talk you through how to introduce your new pet to your home, diet, feeding, and ongoing care.
- Complete the adoption paperwork, process payment. We will provide your pet’s important details.
- It’s time to go home with your new family member.
How Long Does It Take?
- Cats and small animals: Allow at least 30 minutes to meet and chat with our staff.
- Dogs and puppies: Allow at least 1 hour, or longer if a dog-to-dog meet and greet is needed.
Please note: we don’t conduct meet and greets between cats and dogs or between two cats. Introducing animals from different species, or even the same species, takes time and patience at home, and we’re happy to provide guidance on how to do this safely.
Adoption Fees
From 12 January 2026, RSPCA ACT will be introducing an updated adoption fee structure.
This change reflects a long-overdue review of our adoption fees. While the cost of caring for animals has continued to rise over many years, our adoption fees have remained unchanged. The new adoption fees have been developed to ensure greater consistency and transparency, while helping to support the essential care, rehabilitation and rehoming services we provide.
Adoption fees contribute to veterinary care, desexing, microchipping, vaccinations, behavioural support and daily care for animals in our shelter. No single adoption fee covers the full cost of an animal’s care, but your adoption helps us continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in need.
Our pricing has been carefully designed to balance accessibility for adopters with sustainability for the animals who rely on us, ensuring the best possible outcomes for every animal in our care.
Dog Adoption Fees | ||
| Animal Type | Fee | Criteria |
| Dog – Band A | $195 | Senior dogs aged 8 years and over Dogs needing ongoing medical care or additional support Dogs with behavioural needs that require experienced homes Dogs adopted through our Twilight Adoption or palliative care programs |
| Dog – Band B | $395 | Dogs aged over 6 months and under 8 years |
| Dog – Band B (Bonded Pair) | $600 | Bonded dogs aged over 6 months and under 8 years |
| Dog – Band C | $650 | Popular breeds and mixes with high adoption demand dogs aged over 12 months and under 8 years |
| Dog – Band C (Bonded Pair) | $975 | Bonded dogs aged over 12 months and under 8 years with high adoption demand |
| Dog – Band D | $197.50 | Dogs who have been available for adoption for longer than 6 months |
| Puppy – Band A | $350 | Puppies under 6 months old needing ongoing medical care or additional support Puppies with behavioural needs that require experienced homes |
| Puppy – Band B | $700 | Puppies aged under 6 months |
| Puppy – Band C | $900 | Popular Medium to large breeds and mixes with high adoption demand aged up to 12 months |
| Puppy – Band D | $1,200 | Popular Small breed puppies, breed mixes, or poodle mixes of any size, with high adoption demand aged up to 12 months |
Cat Adoption Fees | ||
| Animal Type | Fee | Criteria |
| Cat – Band A | $100 | Senior cats aged 10 years and over Cats adopted through our Twilight Adoption or palliative care programs Cats needing ongoing medical care or additional support Cats undergoing or ringworm treatment Cats with behavioural needs that require experienced or patient homes |
| Cat – Band B | $200 | Cats above 6 months and under 10 years old. |
| Cat – Band B (Bonded Pair) | $300 | Bonded cats aged over 12 months and under 10 years |
| Kitten – Band C | $375 | Kittens under 6 months old. |
| Feline – Band D | $500 | Cats of certain breeds aged under 10 years with high adoption demand |
| Feline - Band D (bonded pair) | $750 | Bonded cats of certain breeds aged under 10 years with high adoption demand |
| Feline – Band E | $100 | Cats who have been available for adoption for longer than 6 months |
Small Animals and Exotics Adoption Fees | |||
Small Animals - Mammals | Reptiles | ||
| Rabbit | $80 | Reptile Turtle, lizard, snake etc. Licence may be required. | $80 |
| Guinea Pig | $30 | Fish | |
Ferret Licence required | $80 | Freshwater Fish - Band 1 <5cm | $1 |
| Rat | $20 | Freshwater Fish - Band 2 >5cm to <10cm | $4 |
| Mouse | $20 | Freshwater Fish - Band 3 >10cm to <20cm | $8 |
Farm Animals | Freshwater Fish - Band 3 >20cm | $10 | |
Farm animal Sheep, goat, pig, horse, cattle etc. May require Property Identification Code (PIC). | $50 | Saltwater Fish - Band 1 <5cm | $10 |
Fowl | Saltwater Fish - Band 2 >5cm to <10cm | $20 | |
Fowl All fowl except quail and rooster. Hen, duck, goose, guinea fowl, turkey, peafowl. | $20 | Saltwater Fish - Band 3 >10cm to <20cm | $40 |
| Roosters | $5 | Saltwater Fish - Band 4 >20cm | $50 |
Crustaceans | |||
| Hermit crab | $5 | Yabby and other crustacean | $2 |
Bird | |||
Bird - Band 1 Pigeon, budgerigar, canary, dove, finch, lovebird, quail, Bourke’s parrot | $75 | ||
Bird - Band 2 Cockatiel, lorikeet, rosella, kakariki, regent parrot, superb parrot | $75 | ||
Bird - Band 3 Ringneck, conure, princess parrot | $125 | ||
Bird - Band 4 Large native parrot (cockatoo, galah, corella, major Mitchell) | $200 | ||
Bird - Band 4 Alexandrine parrot | $250 | ||
Bird - Band 4 Eclectus parrot | $300 | ||
Bird - Band 4 Other large non-native parrot | $1,000 | ||
Bird - Band 4 Macaw | $2,000 | ||
Special adoption fees are available for the adoption of multiple small animals and exotics. Please contact our team for further information.
Want to help even more animals in need?
Donate today and be part of something life changing.
$150
Could provide an incoming vet examination and vaccination for an animal arriving at our care.
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